Can't keep up with my clean calorie intake

DrummerGavin wrote: »

So I guess I don't have to. I thought that was how proper nutrition works. I've cut out most sugars and salt and stopped eating fast food. I've only had a few meals like a cheese burger or fried foods rarely in the last few months. Are you saying that I can have more of those types of meals if I'm hitting my numbers?? I've been about 207-210 for the last few years but wasn't working out and eating anything. Since I cut those things out I've lost a lot of fat in my midsection so I'm good with that. I'd like to get down to at least 12-14% body fat and thought clean eating was the only way to get there (along with lifting 3 days a week)

Nope. As mentioned, eat in a calorie deficit and you'll lose body fat.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I'm slightly confused as to your goal....

You've lost 16lbs in 10 weeks, but you're making gains? It's likely your "gains" are due to getting leaner and your muscles becoming more defined, not that you're putting any muscle on.

Nuts are a good source of fats and calories, have you considered adding them?

my daily average is about 2600cal (female, 5'4") - not sure why the focus on clean, but my go-tos (I do a high carb so 300+g most days of the week)

toast on the drive into work
full fat yogurt, banana, farro (with some sour cream and cheese for fat) and some kind lf protein mid-morning
lunch is normally potatos and chicken
Dinner - depends on calories left for the day - last night was a sweet potato and barley dish with shrimp
round the day out with a small bowl of cereal right before bed

my diary is open if you want to take a look (and yes, I had both a cupcake and a cookie yesterday)

skymningen wrote: »

deannalfisher wrote: »

my diary is open if you want to take a look (and yes, I had both a cupcake and a cookie yesterday)

More than one. And chips. And I am just saying that, because I am a little jealous.

Oh I eat ice cream almost everyday.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

DrummerGavin wrote: »

I know that I am making gains and not just losing fat alone because not only am I starting to bust the sleeves on my t-shirts but I've also doubled my strength in that 10 weeks. I've never really had any fat surrounding muscle except for my ab section and not even there until about 5 years ago. I've always had a very good metabolism my whole life and been very active. I'm 49 now but it wasn't until I hit my 40's that it slowed down and started hitting my belly. I want to be able to have a "men's physique" type body. I've never focused on my body intensely because I never had to. Now I want to see what I'm capable of if I put all my focus and energy into it.

You may have gotten some newbie gains if you just started lifting or came back off a break from training. Maybe a couple of pounds overall. You can't really tell without before and after dexa or hydrostatic testing. That would have been it though if in deficit.

Many mistake getting a pump, muscles filling with fluid for repair from training with actual muscle mass gains. Also, the strength increases can come exclusively from neuromuscular adaptations without having gained any mass. Does it really matter whether the improvements were from adding muscle mass or not? You are losing fat, looking better and are fitter and stronger either way.

You still haven't stated your goal though. Is it to lose weight/ body fat? Recomp? Gain muscle mass? From what you said so far, sounds like recomp, lose a little fat while gaining mass eating at maintenance but I can't really tell.

Just reiterating what the others have said (and in case someone pops in here with the calorie vs nutrition).

Hit your macros - protein, fats, carbs
Hit your micros - vitamins, minerals, fiber, blah, blah blah
Since macros and micros are taken care of for physical needs (i.e., nutrition) then:

Whatever higher calorie stuff to meet your calorie needs.

Not big on ice cream but love me some fried chicken thighs to meet calorie needs when bulking. Or PBJ sammichs.
Or a couple slices of pizza. Slice of pie is good too. So many ways. Heck a good chunk of beef chuck roast helps hit the protein and fats.

Damn, now I'm hungry!

DrummerGavin wrote: »

I know that I am making gains and not just losing fat alone because not only am I starting to bust the sleeves on my t-shirts but I've also doubled my strength in that 10 weeks. I've never really had any fat surrounding muscle except for my ab section and not even there until about 5 years ago. I've always had a very good metabolism my whole life and been very active. I'm 49 now but it wasn't until I hit my 40's that it slowed down and started hitting my belly. I want to be able to have a "men's physique" type body. I've never focused on my body intensely because I never had to. Now I want to see what I'm capable of if I put all my focus and energy into it.

CNS adaptations for a new lifter will add significant strength. Creatine supplementation adds some serious pump during exercise and as much as 4-8 pounds of water retention weight to muscle. Heck, I get a pump just shaking up my protein in the morning because of creatine. You can also gain a temporary couple of pounds after a good hard training session as some people gain water weight in their muscles during the repair/rest cycle. All of these things can make it initially seem like you are gaining true muscle mass - but the truth is that it is extremely unlikely outside of very specific conditions. The good news is that you fit into one of the catagories - newbie lifter - so it is possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time... but only for a short while.

edit: mmapags already covered most of what I said.

real growth takes time - admitted I'm female and don't lift like I should during the triathlon season - but getting a 1lb lean muscle gain a month is on the higher side of what you can expect - men may be more successful, but its takes time

DrummerGavin wrote: »

So if I continue my lifting routine of 3 days a week (full body push pull push week one and pull push pull for week two) at a high intensity and supplement properly... when is it realistic to expect real growth? I understand that everyone is different and there are countless variables but still.

It's hard to know as there are so many variables. Age, gender, previous lifting experience, hormone profiles, lifting program etc.
It's a good idea to track weight AND measurements. Reassess after a period of time. 1/2 the year I use powerlifting for reassessment (how much have my lifts increased, during bulk) and the other 1/2ish is scale and measurements when I'm dropping down bodyfat (leaning out).

DrummerGavin wrote: »

So if I continue my lifting routine of 3 days a week (full body push pull push week one and pull push pull for week two) at a high intensity and supplement properly... when is it realistic to expect real growth? I understand that everyone is different and there are countless variables but still.

Short answer, yes continue. You have one of 2 choices. Recomp or lean bulk.

Recomp is to eat at maintenance and lift. You will slowly drop fat and gain muscle mass. Maybe a 1/2 pound to a pound per month.

The other, lean bulk, is too eat at a slight surplus, 200-250 cals per day. This maximizes muscle growth and minimizes fat gain. Under optimum conditions, you will gain 1.5 to 2 lbs per month. You may also pick up some fat, so after awhile, you may want to cut to lose it. Done right, fat gain will be minimal.

In either case, the key is hitting an aggressive protein target. Some will disagree but from the data I've seen, when bulking or recomping, I would to 1.2 grams protein per lb of lean body mass. Hit .35 to .4 fats and let carbs fall where they do. Mostly whole foods is great but I personally use an 80/20 rule, whole nutritionally dense foods/ whatever I want.

Some recent research has indicated that rep range has less effect on hypertrophy than previously thought and power lifting rep ranges, 3 to 5, have proven just as effective as hypertrophy range, typically 6-12. I mix 'em up personally. I do pyramid sets adding a little weight to each. So, my first set of any lift is 8 to 12 reps and my last (of 3) is 3-5. I feel like this hits both strength gains and mass growth (or preservation in deficit) Only one of may ways to get there. Hope this helps!