What to do next with my diet?

J

JKD

New Member
When I started HST about six weeks ago, I weighed in at 150lbs and 6'1". I increased my calories to include 2500-2700 calories per day and 155g protein per day. I also added 5g of Creatine per day. My job is essentially sedentary, so pretty much all of my exercise has come from my 45 minutes/day, three days per week HST routine.

The first four weeks, I put on two pounds per week while "losing" belly fat (at least it seems that way to me because my pants fit slightly better and my belly is less flabby). I feel a lot more energetic and "healthy", so I'm pleased with the results so far.

The past two weeks, though, I've gained nothing. So it seems that I've found my maintenance calorie level for this weight.

I've calculated my body fat a couple of different ways including using an electronic body fat analyzer (don't have access to calipers, but I can get some). Each way says the same thing - 22%.

My wrist measures 6.5", my ankle measures 8.25", if that matters to you.

So, at this point, what is your advice to do with my diet? Bulk? Cut? Stay the same? Something else? My only concern is that I don't want to bulk so fast that I get fat and cannot fit into any of my pants. :)

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
You have to increase calories proportionately as you gain weight. Maintenance is based on bodyweight and activity level.

Don't pay attention to what electronic bodyfat analyzers say. Get calipers.

As for what you should do... that's up to you. If you feel you are too fat, then cut. If you want to gain more muscle and don't feel like you are that fat yet, then bulk.
 
Fair enough. I've ordered a pair of calipers. We'll see what they have to say.

So a follow up question: I get it that if I want to bulk, I add calories and increase protein accordingly. I also get it that if I want to cut, I decrease calories and carbs and adjust my macros to keep protein at 1g/lb of body weight (I know that it can get a lot more complicated than that, but that seems to be the basics of it from what I've read so far).

But what happens if I make no changes at all to my diet and continue to work out as I have been doing? Would I most likely gain muscle while losing fat? That would seem to be the best of both worlds, but is that a bad idea for some reason?

Thanks again for the advice.
 
Totentanz said:
Nothing will happen. You will stay exactly the same.
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Yeah, I spun my wheels for years in the gym, partly because I didn't realize how important bulking and cutting are to bodybuilding. If you want to grow large muscles, you will absolutely need a caloric excess.
 
Sci said:
Yeah, I spun my wheels for years in the gym, partly because I didn't realize how important bulking and cutting are to bodybuilding.
Click to expand...

I did the same, working out until I quit ten years ago. I got relatively strong for my size, but my gains were slow. I now realize that it's because I did nothing at all with my diet back then aside from just eating whatever I wanted. And since I naturally tend toward a lower appetite and eating lean, I only put on about 20 lbs of muscle in ten years. I always felt good while I was working out, so it wasn't a total waste of time, but how I wish I knew then what I'm learning now!

Ironically, I've found that bulking is not as hard for me as I thought it might be. I just have to make myself eat more (with the right distribution of macros, of course). But cutting eludes me. There's WAY too much advice out there on how to do it, and I've never had to consider how to lose weight before. Is it as simple as cutting back on calories and carbs while maintaining protein according to my body weight and spreading the meals over 6-8 meals per day? Do I do anything different with my workout routine during a cutting phase?

Thanks.
 
It's not even as complicated as you're making it. Eat however many meals, doesn't matter. Carb count doesn't matter. Just cut calories, keep protein high and lift heavy, that's all you have to do.
 
I too tried the ole' gain muscle lose fat routines before I found HST... I went nowhere. In the end, I lost muscle and gained fat, my strength didn't seem to increase either. HST has simply been amazing for gaining size and strength. My "light cutting" so far (couple weeks) has also been successful in that I'm not losing any strength, but have lost a little fat. I'm about the same weight overall.

Totz is right, cut your total calories a bit, lift heavy, keep protein high.
 
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