Espi, Marmel advice

Yeah, so I'm like 240/235 depending how well hydrated.
i like being a bouncer looking dude. I'm 6'1, I carry it well. Picture like a Brock Lesnar body type.. However just for a little more aesthetics, I think I want to cut 10 pounds. I really think it would bring it all together.

So right now I'm having a helluva hard time eating only 2500 calories a day. To guys who eat like 18-1900 a day mad respect.
im always frikkin hungry.. i feel like I'm starving myself. I been working out for a while i understand sacrifice brings reward but is there anything I can do to make this cut more bareable?

In addition to Espi's questions which are all valid,

Do you know your body fat percentage, or at least a round about figure? Pics would definitely help with that assessment tho.

Carb cycling in this manner will always help, even if you don't run that much of a deficit.

http://www.rippednaturally.com/zig-zag-diet.html



I am not a big fan of cardio personally except in measured doses. Basically I think its a waste of time as you could get the same benefit in half the time by just speeding up your workouts, increasing the intensity and decreasing the rest time, which would lead to a cardio workout while lifting weights, which has been shown to be highly effective(think circuit training, but not exactly).

I highly recommend running German Composition Training for 6 weeks, which should drop quite a bit of fat because it is brutal but highly effective:

Sample Program 1

A1 10-12x Back Squats @ 30X0
A2 6-8x Supinated Grip Chin-ups @ 30X0
Rest 30-60s, 3-5 sets

B1 12-15x DB Walking Lunge @ 2020
B2 8-10x Barbell Strict Press @ 3010
Rest 30-60s, 3-5 sets

C1 15-20x DB Cyclist Squats @ 2020
C2 10-12x Bench Press with chains @ 30X0
Rest 30-60s, 3-5 sets


Sample Program 2

A1 8-10x Parallel Dips @ 30X0
A2 (6/6) Deadlift + Bent-Over Row
Rest 30-60s, 3-5 sets

B1 8-10x DB Split Squats (front foot elevated), each @ 2020
B2 10-12x Neutral DB Chest Press @ 3010
Rest 30-60s, 3-5 sets

C1 10-12x Hanging Leg Raises (minimize momentum)
C2 8-10x Standing Single-Arm DB Press (neutral) @ 3010
Rest 30-60s, 3-5 sets

D1 20-30x Poliquin Step-ups (4″ elevation), each
D2 8-10x Seated DB Zottman Curls @ 4010
D3 10-12x DB Bent-Over Trap 3, each @ 2020
Rest 30-60s, 2-3 sets


Sample Program 3

A1 10-12x Thick Bar Close-Grip Bench Press @ 3110
A2 25-30x Supine Medicine Ball Chest Pass (to self) X0Xo
A3 8-10x Clean-Grip Deadlift
A4 8-10x DB Row, each @ 2020
Rest 30-60s, 3-4 sets

B1 6-8x 1/4 & 1 Back Squats @ 3010
B2 15-20x Jump Squats @ X0X0
B3 8-10x Neutral-Grip Chin-ups @ 3010
B4 12-15x Russian Kettlebell Swing @ X0X0
Rest 30-60s, 3-4 sets

C1 50m Sprint
Rest 30s, 10 sets


http://goprimalfitness.com/2014/01/german-body-composition/

The easiest way to get leaner is to drive up spikes of growth hormone in the body. Shorter rest periods with intense workouts is a great way, as is doing sprint intervals(HIIT) after your workout for 5-10 minutes.

Another great way is to take mucuna pruriens combined with L-Citrulline/Arginine before bed on an empty stomach, which will produce a spike in growth hormone while you sleep...

http://s288.photobucket.com/user/Christopher_Pettis/profile/
i posted 2 pics shirtless pics on this photobucket..
Im doing a typical bro split 4 days a week

I cant give a specific diet it can be anything it varies
I probably dont eat very clean which is why i try to count cals but a sample yesterday would be

Beef Patty 360 cal meal one
Baked chicken large leg thigh, cabbage, 1 cup mac cheese
6 buffalo wings with no condiments wing only and small side salad

I know it needs work..


Water consumption is probably 2 liters a day

30 minutes of cardio(elyptical) burning 400 cal per session 3 days a week

My muscles are there, I just want more definition.. im not concerned with abs but if they come in great

I buy a muscle milk after each workout?

Lol I know ur reading this shaking your head

Not to make any excuse, but if you wonder why my diet is so ****ty its because during the week I work sometimes 70 hrs. Its literaly get off work, get home (8am) sleep till 1pm, take 5 minute shower, rush to gym, back to work, repeat.
Thats like 3 days a week working 16 hr shifts and still trying to work out
then a regular 7.5 hr shift 3 other days and 1 day off i allow myself

cola said:

Not to make any excuse, but if you wonder why my diet is so ****ty its because during the week I work sometimes 70 hrs. Its literaly get off work, get home (8am) sleep till 1pm, take 5 minute shower, rush to gym, back to work, repeat.
Thats like 3 days a week working 16 hr shifts and still trying to work out
then a regular 7.5 hr shift 3 other days and 1 day off i allow myself

Click to expand...

I was in the same position at one point myself a few years ago and what helped me out tremendously was that I cooked big batches of food once or twice a week, then portioned up containers for the entire week...

Big family pack of chicken, 3-4 cups of brown rice, 2 bags of frozen broccoli/4-5 broccoli crowns(if fresh)...

Other things to keep on hand that are really easy to grab in a pinch that require little to no food prep:

Steel Cut Oats
Berries
Raw Almonds(healthy fat)
Avocados(healthy fat)
Olive Oil(healthy fat)
Sunflower/Chia Seeds(healthy fat)
Raw Spinach
Vanilla Almond/Coconut Milk
Green Pea Protein Powder(Hypoallergenic---will not bloat you like whey does to many people)
Sprouted Brown Rice Protein Powder(same as above)
Brewers Yeast(high quality protein, great source of B vitamins and potassium)
Raw Honey
Cinnamon


Easy to make meal for anytime:

1 cup Steel Cut Oats
1 cup berries(straw/blue/rasp)
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 TBSP Raw Honey
1 Scoop Pea Protein Powder
1 Scoop Brown Rice Protein Powder
2 TBSP Brewers Yeast
Handful of Raw Almonds
1/2 Teaspsoon cinnamon
1 cup raw almond milk/cocount milk

---This is a pretty nutrient dense, all around quality quick fix meal...that combination of pea/brown rice/brewers yeast gives about 40g of protein with an amino acid profile almost identical to whey protein, as pea is one of the few vegetables high in Leucine, the amino acid marker the body uses to determine protein levels in the body and the most important of the amino acids to have in terms of muscle building. Good quality carbs, quality fats and cinnamon which greatly increases insulin sensitivity in the body by acting as an insulin mimetic(the active substance MHCP, has a structure almost identical to insulin and the body uses it in the same way).

When you are grabbing your meals take an avocado and a handful of almonds in a container as well, that will give you good fats throughout the day, or you can even dump in a tablespoon of olive oil in with the brown rice/chicken/veggies....

Diet is key...you cannot get to where you are wanting to go without cleaning up the diet. I know its hard and you work a lo of hours, but trust me when I tell you the small time sacrifice will be worth it...this will only take about 2 hours on your off day to implement these changes---a small price to pay for what you want.

Start following that zig zag diet, its really easy once you get in the groove of it...3 High carb days, 2 low carb days, 2 high carb days, 2 low carb days then rinse and repeat...for the high carb days, eat a cup of brown rice/oatmeal with each meal, for the low carb days eat 1/4 cup of brown rice/oatmeal...its a little more detailed than that, but even doing that simple thing will make a big difference

Espi said:

This is where you want to devote more time and attention and effort.

As far as I'm concerned, a varied diet is the enemy. I eat the same shiat every day, Monday-Friday and I encourage you to do the same. Your water consumption is not bad--a half gallon daily. But you want to drink more. Believe me bro when I say that one of the best things you can buy is a BPAA free gallon container. These can be re-used forever. Spend $12-15 on a gallon container BPA free and FIRST THING every morning fill it--that's a great way to start your day and it's easy to do. You may wake up thirsty. Fill the container first then drink. You will feel better immediately. Drink from the gallon container throughout the day. You will have to pee more but after a few months your body will adjust.

Eat the same shiat every day, Monday-Friday. Make it easy. Tuna and chicken cans. Microwave-ready bagged rice. Almonds. Spinach. All of this shiat is extremely easy to prepare. No cooking, no counting. No measuring.

Click to expand...

I agree with eating the same foods often when you find what works for you...

What many people don't realize is that there are foods out that our body isn't allergic to but it is reactive to. What this means is the body, especially the intestines and gut area will become inflamed and bloated, holding in water and causing weight gain. If it goes on long enough it turns into chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases...

When you vary your diet in this way, you are going away from things you know work for your body and introducing a large variety of things that may potentially be reactive in nature. And many of the most reactive foods are things people consider "healthy". Salmon, Whey protein, greek yogurt, cauliflower, and non-grass fed eggs(especially yolks) are some of the most common reactive foods in people. The more processed a food is, the higher the likelihood of being reactive. Why? Because these foods many times have 20-30 or more ingredients in them. It only take one of those for the body to not like for it to be reactive. The best foods to eat are the ones that contain only one ingredient---ie, the food itself. Broccoli has only one ingredient--broccoli. Brown rice has only one ingredient---brown rice, etc...

One of the best things I've ever done for myself and my health was to buy a book called "The Plan" by Lyn-Genet Recitas who has been teaching about reactive foods and how to find out which ones your body doesn't like...in 30 days I dropped 25 pounds like it was magic---basically it was 90% inflammatory body weight that came off...water weight my body was holding in...

Highly, highly recommend it, not only for people looking to lose weight, but for people that have any type of chronic inflammatory condition or autoimmune disease---you'd be surprised what is possible when your body is at harmony with what you are putting in it every day. I bought the ebook version of it, which I think was like $12...best $12 I ever spent.

http://lyngenet.com/

Man, thank you guys so much for those very thoughtful replies. Im going to try what you guy suggest and will keep you both posted. Appreciate you both.
Much respect for