Opinions/Advice please --> 1,500 net cal, gym 8 times/wk

alejandroak

So...

Instead of hijacking someone's thread, I figured I should start a new topic...


Here goes...


Age 29.75
Height 6'-0"

I started at 234lb on December 10th... Currently at 213-214lb after 80 days.

Through various iterations, I have settled on:

1,500 NET calories per day
50/30/20 ratio of carbohydrate/protein/fat

WEIGHTS:

---

Monday, Wednesday Friday AM
Super sets, starting at 70-80% of 1-rep max
All upper body (legs are like tree trunks),
200-300 calories burned, HR between 100 and 130


CARDIO:

---

Monday-Friday
Spinning
950-1,100 calories burned in 70 minutes (According to Polar FT80 HRM. Bike shows 850-1,100 kcal input, so they're reasonably close)
HR between 155 and 178, including 5min warm up and 5min cool down, HR averages 150. Max so far 181

Seems to be working... 1.75LB/week
Size 38 pants now feel REALLY loose (I could fit 36's with ease). Will eventually buy size 34's
Took photos on Jan 10th, Feb 10th, noticed "side fat" loss
More definition around abs (6-pack starting to show... last seen in 1st year college on Div 1 swim team :-( )
Better shoulder/arm definition

Pants are hella loose!! It's hilarious


Current resting heart rate while sleeping: 47-48bpm (measured using Basis Band)

Resting heart rate while sitting at the office: ~55bpm


Opinions? Advice?

I'm contemplating upping my calories a little (100-200...), after upping my max weights in a week or two...

Seems to be working so far, but there's always room for improvement and I am NO expert or nutritionist!

jonnythan

My question for you is: how much do you actually enjoy spinning? In other words, would you still do it if it didn't burn calories?

Sarauk2sf

Your intake is too low and you should add legs to your strength training.

jackaroo21

Legs may be like tree trunks but should be doing some compound lifts. Deadlifts and squats. They work whole body and are great workout to. Start low and work on form and add weight each time. With strong legs you will love these, but you will find your legs werent as strong as you thought. I do spinning and lifting to.

KBSwinger

I would echo what above have said add in some leg work. If you can have access to kettle bells the swing and few other exercises can work your entire body.

How are you feeling on 1500 calories? If your progressing and feeling good thats all that matters.

Docmahi

your split of 50/30/20 at 1500 calories gives you an abyssmal amount of protein - either change your macros to something like 35/45/20 or up the calories so you can get at least somewhere around 0.8g of protein per lb bodyweight.

Also even if your legs are massive working legs is going to burn more calories then anything else and it wont cut into your recovery time for your upper body - its just a win win.

TLDR: add legs back in and use the extra calories you earn from that to increase your daily protein --> 1500 is low but i understand sometimes you need to cut down to maintain that ~ 2lb loss/week when you have been dieting for a while and you stick to weights

alejandroak

My question for you is: how much do you actually enjoy spinning? In other words, would you still do it if it didn't burn calories?

Um... I quite enjoy it actually!

I live in Pennsylvania, and I don't ride in the winter when the weather is ****ty, but I put 1,000-2,000 miles on my road bike every year, depending on the year...

Would I still do it? I suppose, yes :-). I like it.

alejandroak

Your intake is too low and you should add legs to your strength training.

Thanks! Given yours and other feedback, I very likely will!!

alejandroak

I would echo what above have said add in some leg work. If you can have access to kettle bells the swing and few other exercises can work your entire body.

How are you feeling on 1500 calories? If your progressing and feeling good thats all that matters.

Well yeah, progressing... 1.75 lb/week so far, but there's always room for improvement!

jonnythan

Um... I quite enjoy it actually!

I live in Pennsylvania, and I don't ride in the winter when the weather is ****ty, but I put 1,000-2,000 miles on my road bike every year, depending on the year...

Would I still do it? I suppose, yes :-). I like it.

OK, cool. I was just asking because you're doing a ton of it - way more than would be beneficial just for weight loss. If you enjoy it, and are training for cycling, etc, then by all means go right ahead! A lot of people kill themselves doing cardio they don't enjoy for hours every day and don't understand that it's not in any way necessary for their goals.

alejandroak

your split of 50/30/20 at 1500 calories gives you an abyssmal amount of protein - either change your macros to something like 35/45/20 or up the calories so you can get at least somewhere around 0.8g of protein per lb bodyweight.

Also even if your legs are massive working legs is going to burn more calories then anything else and it wont cut into your recovery time for your upper body - its just a win win.

TLDR: add legs back in and use the extra calories you earn from that to increase your daily protein --> 1500 is low but i understand sometimes you need to cut down to maintain that ~ 2lb loss/week when you have been dieting for a while and you stick to weights

Hmmm... interesting. My daily protein intake is ~180 grams, which amounts to 0.84gm/lb of body weight.

But I WILL certainly up the protein ratio... thanks for the advice!!

alejandroak

Legs may be like tree trunks but should be doing some compound lifts. Deadlifts and squats. They work whole body and are great workout to. Start low and work on form and add weight each time. With strong legs you will love these, but you will find your legs werent as strong as you thought. I do spinning and lifting to.

Great advice dude, thank you!

Nutella91

this EXACTLY is how i got secondary amenorrhea.
except that i worked out 3 times a week

alejandroak

Thanks EVERYONE for your posts so far!!

alejandroak

this EXACTLY is how i got secondary amenorrhea.
except that i worked out 3 times a week

Wow...!! I can't get amenorrhea, given that I'm male... but wow, thanks for sharing. I read about it, doesn't sound like much fun... :-/