Low Carb Dieting/Working Out Question

[Stryker44]

I'm finding - as others have mentioned...eating the bulk of carbs and calories around lunch time, then working out hard after work, then a light meal thereafter before bed - is really starting to pay dividends with regard to the intensity with which I can train.

[CATCH17]

Originally Posted by Stryker44

I'm finding - as others have mentioned...eating the bulk of carbs and calories around lunch time, then working out hard after work, then a light meal thereafter before bed - is really starting to pay dividends with regard to the intensity with which I can train.

Yeah it definetely works for me.

I've recently upped my protein by about 50 grams a day and i've been holding onto my weight slightly but I can tell im getting leaner.

I've only lost 4 lbs the last 3 weeks but I look about 8-10 lbs lighter. Could be something to do with sodium too.

[Stryker44]

Originally Posted by CATCH17

Yeah it definetely works for me.

I've recently upped my protein by about 50 grams a day and i've been holding onto my weight slightly but I can tell im getting leaner.

I've only lost 4 lbs the last 3 weeks but I look about 8-10 lbs lighter. Could be something to do with sodium too.

That's great. I've been doing my hard cardio in the morning, then eating a high protein low calories breakfast, a high carb lunch, then my weight session.

Cutting out the second cardio session in the afternoon has really helped me focus on just lifting hard those afternoons and has also improved the quality of my workouts. I appreciate your advice on that. I feel like a different person during the weight sessions now...I can attack the workout rather than just try to survive. I've also been able to increase the weight I'm repping.

I'm at 235 now...goal is 200 and to fit into my old jeans by summer. I think I can do it without starving myself.

[CATCH17]

Originally Posted by Stryker44

That's great. I've been doing my hard cardio in the morning, then eating a high protein low calories breakfast, a high carb lunch, then my weight session.

Cutting out the second cardio session in the afternoon has really helped me focus on just lifting hard those afternoons and has also improved the quality of my workouts. I appreciate your advice on that. I feel like a different person during the weight sessions now...I can attack the workout rather than just try to survive. I've also been able to increase the weight I'm repping.

I'm at 235 now...goal is 200 and to fit into my old jeans by summer. I think I can do it without starving myself.

Awesome man. Keep us updated. Im on that same road right now except im trying to get my body fat really low. Around 8% would be nice.

Im 202 right now plus im taller and big boned so I don't look fat at all. In fact a dude at the gym who hasn't seen me in awhile told me not to lose anymore weight.

Im still a little doughey though in my midsection but I think another 10-15 lbs should do it and then im going to start adding some mass.

[Stryker44]

Originally Posted by CATCH17

Awesome man. Keep us updated. Im on that same road right now except im trying to get my body fat really low. Around 8% would be nice.

Im 202 right now plus im taller and big boned so I don't look fat at all. In fact a dude at the gym who hasn't seen me in awhile told me not to lose anymore weight.

Im still a little doughey though in my midsection but I think another 10-15 lbs should do it and then im going to start adding some mass.

At what point does lowering body fat become more difficult? Once below 12 percent or so?

How much of the population has 8 percent body fat I wonder...I'd guess not many people!

[Stryker44]

Do any of you do pullups/chin ups? Balance balls, kettlebells, resistance training? Thinking about incorporating more compound exercises into my regimen.

[Jenky]

Originally Posted by Stryker44

Do any of you do pullups/chin ups? Balance balls, kettlebells, resistance training? Thinking about incorporating more compound exercises into my regimen.

I do wide grip pullups, deadlifts, squat and bench. So usually, one of those will be my first exercise depending on the day it is. Also I usually stretch and then do my compound exercises first. It's very important to get the form and technique down without hurting yourself. Olympic type lifts are highly technical.

Towards the end i'll do isolation work, machines & cables. So I definitely have some order to it because I don't want to give my maximum effort & exhaust myself on something that's machine oriented and geared for isolation of a specific muscle group.

[Stryker44]

Ok I've been stuck at 235-240 the last couple weeks. Have been able to work out harder due to eating a ton of carbs at lunch, but the weight isn't dropping. Should I cut back on the amount of pasta I'm eating at lunch? Right now I'm eating about 3/4 lbs.

[CATCH17]

Originally Posted by Stryker44

Ok I've been stuck at 235-240 the last couple weeks. Have been able to work out harder due to eating a ton of carbs at lunch, but the weight isn't dropping. Should I cut back on the amount of pasta I'm eating at lunch? Right now I'm eating about 3/4 lbs.

Are you tracking calories? It's not the carbs its the total amount of calories. If you're not losing weight you're eating too much or you might have slightly stalled.

Give it a week and if you don't lose any weight drop your calories slightly lower.

[Stryker44]

Originally Posted by CATCH17

Are you tracking calories? It's not the carbs its the total amount of calories. If you're not losing weight you're eating too much or you might have slightly stalled.

Give it a week and if you don't lose any weight drop your calories slightly lower.

Just looked it up....1 lb pasta with pesto sauce is 2560 calories...so 1/2 lb is 1280. Then I was having another 1/2 lb before bed. So easy to see why my weight loss has slowed, and why I've actually gained on days I don't work out. Definitely have to cut that in half and see what happens.

[Stryker44]

Hey, does anybody else find that a night of drinking pushes the scale upwards on Mondays? I found that out this weekend, even though I maintained my diet otherwise.

A woman on the treadmill next to me this morning asked me if I was going to be there tomorrow, and said that I was "good for her". I'll take the compliment and it made my morning, just wish she was about 15 years younger lol. She was probably mid-late 40s.

[BraveHeartFan]

Originally Posted by Stryker44

Hey, does anybody else find that a night of drinking pushes the scale upwards on Mondays? I found that out this weekend, even though I maintained my diet otherwise.

A woman on the treadmill next to me this morning asked me if I was going to be there tomorrow, and said that I was "good for her". I'll take the compliment and it made my morning, just wish she was about 15 years younger lol. She was probably mid-late 40s.

Drinking provides a lot of empty calories that do absolutely nothing for you and yes will push your scale upwards on Mondays. Drinking on Saturday night can absolutely ruin your entire week of hard work, depending on just how much you drink.

[Stryker44]

Originally Posted by BraveHeartFan

Drinking provides a lot of empty calories that do absolutely nothing for you and yes will push your scale upwards on Mondays. Drinking on Saturday night can absolutely ruin your entire week of hard work, depending on just how much you drink.

Definitely going to abstain from alcohol this weekend and see if it makes a difference.

I feel myself getting stronger and more fit...maybe I'm also putting on muscle so my weight loss has stalled a bit for now.

[Stryker44]

Anybody else find that weight loss seemingly occurs in spurts? For example, I worked out just as hard as normal last week, and lost nothing....now I'm already down 4 lbs from what I was on Saturday. Its really weird.

[Stryker44]

I read somewhere that the body retains water during fat loss, then all of a sudden it gets flushed out so that might explain it...was just curious if others experience the same thing with plateaus and spurts.