Answering Questionnaire: would like a review please

tomcornhole

Saw other threads and tags and just wanted to get a read from the experts. I really appreciate you taking the time to review and provide any guidance. That is very kind of you.

Here goes.

1) What's your current intake of calories, on average? 2,800

2) What's your current average intake of protein, carbs, and fats, in grams? Protein: 240g, Carbs: 100g, Fat: 80g

3) Do you use a food scale and measure everything? No

4) Do you track all of your intake, daily? (Everything?): Yes.

5) Do you take cheat days or days off? Yes. I plan one cheat day per week and eat 4,000-5,000 calories with no limitation on qty or macros. I usually end up hitting my protein and fat macros and carb loading big time.

6) How much weight have you lost so far? 70 lbs over the past 16 months and currently in maintenance for 2 months.

7) What is your activity like, both exercise and non-exercise? Lift 4x / week (5/3/1 four day split and Boring But BIg accessory). Cardio 2x / week (45 minutes on treadmill).

8) How long have you eaten at your previous amount and what happened in that time frame? I have been at maintenance (185 lbs) for 2 months. Working great so far (+- 2 lbs)

9) What's your height, current weight and if you know it, bodyfat%? 72", 185 lbs, 12%-15% (not sure)

10) If you're stalled, for how long and is it a complete stall (zero change in weight)? Not stalled

Are you breastfeeding?: No

Do you have thyroid issues/risks or PCOS?: No

Right now I am trying a body recomp to get down to 10% BF. Eating at TDEE (2,800 cal / day) 6 days / week and going well above that on cheat day. Since I have been on maintenance, I have reduced body fat by 3%, increasing LBM by 3 lbs and reducing fat by 3 lbs. I think I want to continue doing the recomp until my strength gains stall and then re-evaluate. Maybe start a bulk cyle this winter.

Thank you for any advice you can offer.

Tom

SideSteel

Tagging.

Sarauk2sf

Tagging.

^^yerp

SideSteel

So this is an interesting one since you're making progress and just looking for general feedback.

Some observations/points to bring up, but please read this in it's entirety because despite these comments I'm bringing up, you are currently doing well at least according to your comments.

1) If you are at 2800 on the weekdays and refeeding with 4000-5000 cals and maintaining bodyweight, then your maintenance is not 2800, it is higher than 2800. Maintenance is a moving target but you would need to factor in the increased calories on the refeed. This is just a point of clarification more than anything.

2) What metric/assessment method are you using to show that you're recomping successfully (how are you assessing the amount of muscle gain/fat loss)?

EDIT: Apparently I can only count to two.

As far as calories and macronutrients go, your protein looks quite high and your carbs look quite low. I would question your gym performance using this method and I'd like to know how dietary adherence/satiety is during the week. Do you think you may be better off in terms of diet enjoyment by balancing this out more?

Finally, I would question your choice to recomp vs doing a traditional cut. The logic being that you're within 4-8 weeks of getting down to 10% using a more traditional "cut" vs attempting a long recomposition. Doing the cut gets you lean faster, which then allows you to eat in a surplus and bulk, which tends to result in lifts going up a bit faster.

Having said all of the above, these are just general observations/comments to think on, and if you're making good progress and you're enjoying it, and your lifts are going well, then you may not have a need to change things (although that doesn't mean a method that works is a method that is optimal).

tomcornhole

Dang, you are good. Spot on over actions from a limited amount of info.

I am using the mirror and scale to assess the recomp right now. BIA thingy is all over the place and even the trusty bodpod is proving unreliable. I started maintenance with one ab and now I may see 3. And the fat at my waist seems to be going away ever so slowly.

Lifts during the week suffer due to my lack of carbs. You nailed that spot on. The day after refeed almost always is a PR day and I struggle the rest of the week. I need to re-evaluate my daily carb intake but I've been low carb so long I want to approach it in a controlled manner. I'm not in a hurry so deliberate and measured changes only.

I thought about cutting down to 10% because that woe be easier and faster than this recomp. Just wanted to see how this would end since I started it. Sinc it's working, I'll ride it out for a while longer.

I really do appreciate the inputs. Your incite is keen and helpful.

Tom

SideSteel

Dang, you are good. Spot on over actions from a limited amount of info.

I am using the mirror and scale to assess the recomp right now. BIA thingy is all over the place and even the trusty bodpod is proving unreliable. I started maintenance with one ab and now I may see 3. And the fat at my waist seems to be going away ever so slowly.

Lifts during the week suffer due to my lack of carbs. You nailed that spot on. The day after refeed almost always is a PR day and I struggle the rest of the week. I need to re-evaluate my daily carb intake but I've been low carb so long I want to approach it in a controlled manner. I'm not in a hurry so deliberate and measured changes only.

I thought about cutting down to 10% because that woe be easier and faster than this recomp. Just wanted to see how this would end since I started it. Sinc it's working, I'll ride it out for a while longer.

I really do appreciate the inputs. Your incite is keen and helpful.

Tom

No problem. FWIW your estimate on bodyfat is probably pretty close. We didn't estimate you yet but I glanced at the pics that you posted in the estimate thread and you're not far off. I'd probably put you on the higher end of your estimate range but Sara and I will take a better look at them soon.

If you decide to change things or you would like us to make a recommendation let us know. I'd probably start with a gradual approach by bumping carb intake up on the non refeed days, reducing protein a bit, and reducing the magnitude of that refeed you're doing. That's sort of a general overview as to how I would approach it for starters.

If you want a more specific recommendation, let us know.

Sarauk2sf

Locking so we can keep better track of active threads. Please PM either myself or SideSteel if you have further questions or comments, including a link to this thread, and we will unlock.