Best way to lose fat and gain (or not lose) muscle

[archive_slenser]

I'm 30 yo, 5'9", 240 lbs, 24% bf. I want SO BAD to get down to 8-10% and do it quickly. I've been on Adkins for a few months and I find it works. I have kept my carb intake down to 10-20 grams/day. I don't even want to know what my fat intake has been.

I have kind of stopped losing as of lately and I want to pick up the pace again. I'm willing to try anything to speed things along.

I have been trying to do windsprints as Fukkenshredded is my hero [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] They are very hard on my legs, but I'm willing to keep at it anyway.

I find it VERY difficult to do cardio in the morning so I try to do it on my off days and even after my workouts ocasionally. I do alot of bike riding as well, but don't consider that my cardio.

Just how much more effective IS cardio in the morning on an empty stomache and is it something I can do without worrying about losing the muscle I have already gained? It has taken a very long time to get what I have.

Thanks all!

slenser

[archive_slenser]

Just noticed another post almost identical to this one so sorry.

But I thought I would add that I am taking Multi Vitamins, magnesium and potasium for the cramps I was getting twice/day, creatine, NYC (3-4/day) and Yohimburn in the morning on a 5 on 2 off routine.

	PureCEE PureCEE delivers increased strength, pump and muscular endurance without abdominal bloating or subcutaneous water retention often found with creatine monohydrate. PureCEE uses the finest and purest Creatine Ethyl Ester HCL.

	Yohimburn Yohimburn ES can help rid you of those unwanted and stubborn estrogenic fat stores.

[VOX - DEI]

Well you should be loosing 5-10 pounds per week if what you say is true. Kill the keto diet and do a low carb low calorie diet. say 100 g of carbs and keep your calories under 2000 kcals per day, and you don't have enough muscle to loose to make people look at you.


But if you don't mind drugs you should do this

Oxadrin 50 mg per day
Humatrope as much as you can handle
T3 as much as you can handle
And most importantly get a doc to prescribe Opti-Fast which is a liquid protein diet or you make your own with 400 kcals of protein and slow-k
and alot of vit/min take it 5-6 times per week, and some fiber
do your cadio on empty gut 7 days per week
and continue with everything else

oh do 1 gram of ala after every meal and 3 g after workout this not much info but if you want more info feel free to emal me.

if you do this yor wi8ll be down to 10% in 4 weeks, oh before you try any o0f this do some searches on every thing ive writttne obove to make suree what im saying is correct since im tied, and make sure you have moine

darn i wrote asa stupid post wich din't make an secne

[Billy_Bathgate]

Doesnt taking creatine keep you out of Glysogenesis longer than without it? Thats what my understanding was, dont take creatine when dieting.

	PureCEE PureCEE delivers increased strength, pump and muscular endurance without abdominal bloating or subcutaneous water retention often found with creatine monohydrate. PureCEE uses the finest and purest Creatine Ethyl Ester HCL.

[archive_slenser]

Thanks for the info, I'll look into it definately! Especially if you say it will take only 4 weeks.

Vox,
I started out a few months ago losing around 5 lbs a week, but it has almost stopped (it actually cycles). This seems to be the case with a coworker of mine as well. I have lost quite a bit on this, though. Just not fast enough as I'm now getting frustrated.

Now I have been hearing the term kcals a lot lately. I've looked up the definition and still don't think I understand exacly what it is. Some refer to it as energy expenditure and others in calories of food. Could someone please explain?

Billy,
I will take heed of you suggestion. I think the creatine was causing me the cramps I mentioned anyway.

	PureCEE PureCEE delivers increased strength, pump and muscular endurance without abdominal bloating or subcutaneous water retention often found with creatine monohydrate. PureCEE uses the finest and purest Creatine Ethyl Ester HCL.

[growin']

I think he is referring to food calories, i.e. 2000 kcals is the same as 2000 calories. The calories on food labels are really kilocalories or kcals. This can also represent energy burned during exercise, like I burned 200 kcals or 200 calories on the treadmill this morning [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

I am a viking!

[Kakarrot]

10-20grms of carbs everyday for a few months?! are you carbing up every so often? The atkin diet works well only for short periods, like any other diet it will loose it's effectiveness. Just keep a low carb diet on the weekdays and eat high or moderate clean carbs on the weekends. Calorie reduction is probally the most important factor in fat loss, you also have to rotate that. I think the big mistake in cutting diets is that everyone tries to consume an excess of protein to combat the muscle loss, this ecxess of protein will lead to an ecxess of calories which works against fat burning.

[archive_slenser]

I only recently have been giving myself cheat days. Hope that helps. I also have always kept my food intake down quite a bit.

Here is my food intake so far today:

Breakfast - 3 sausage links and 2 slices of bacon
mid morning - slim jim and had a small piece of a cinnamon roll
Lunch - boneless skinless chicken breast
afterlunch snack - slim jim

The rest of the day will be:
before workout - banana
after workout - EAS AdvantEdge protien drink 27g carbs 15g protein
supper - 6 oz top serloin
evening snack - nuts or some peanut butter

This is very typical of what most days are like for me. I take in quite a bit of fat as you can see. I haven't done any calorie counting, only carbs, but I don't think I take in a whole lot.

The carbs before and after workouts are something I just started doing in the last week or two. I kept hearing how important it was to get them at those times. Think I should cut them out? They are really the only carbs I have been getting other than the nuts/peanut butter.

I should also add that I take in a 1.5 - 2 gallons of water/day.

Please feel free to critique my diet.

[bkrquads]

Have you had your cholesterol checked since you started this atkinish diet? I am guessing you are taking in a lot of animal fats. Especially if you have been doing this for a couple months it might be a good idea!

[archive_slenser]

I actually asked to have it checked last time I was at my Dr's office. He said I had to be fasting, though, so I didn't get it. I am interested in finding out what it is, but taking time off work is the problem.

[Epitome]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by slenser:
I find it VERY difficult to do cardio in the morning so I try to do it on my off days and even after my workouts ocasionally. I do alot of bike riding as well, but don't consider that my cardio.

Just how much more effective IS cardio in the morning on an empty stomache and is it something I can do without worrying about losing the muscle I have already gained? It has taken a very long time to get what I have.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

slenser,

I too have a difficult time doing cardio in the mornings, but I can tell you it will make all the difference in the world. Not only physically, but mentally. I know its not fun at the time, but afterwards, I always feel so much better and find that my appetite is somewhat curbed for the rest of the day, and therefore I am much less likely to cheat. I have found that for me, morning and post workout cardio are the only way to lose fat while simultaneously maintaining/gaining muscle.

[Fukkenshredded]

Eat clean, lift heavy, and run like a lion on the African veldt. Every day for a year, you're there.

[archive_slenser]

Well, no I remember why I don't use my treadmill at home. Damn track stops every time I put my foot down.

I'm going to try getting up earlier in the morning to get to the gym before work. Problem was, I was so tired the rest of the day. Maybe that won't be the case if I'm just doing cardio.

FS,
I'm not sure I can keep this up for another year. I'm getting burned out from not seeing the results I want. That's why I want to shed this fat off FAST.

I'm really close to buying some DNP and doing a long cycle of low dosage. I am going to continue to try naturally for another month first. We'll see how the morning windsprints work out.

I was at 315 about 1 1/2 yrs ago, so I have made some very good progress. It's just not coming off as fast anymore.

[tidefan00]

First, my hat is off to you for having lost so much weight. Now, I have to tell you that I think at 5'9, 240, and 24%, you are probably being too concerned with muscle loss/gain at this point. I think you are still at a point where your focus should be fat loss. That will be the quickest route to an overall better look and better health, better everything. Its much easier to gauge muscle gain and loss once you can see some of them. Also, if you have been on Atkins for a while and stalled, I would try something completely different where you consume a balanced diet of carbs, protein and low fat.....but most important, LOWER CALORIES. I would replace all those slim jims and snacks with a fruit, replace that breakfast meat with oatmeal or cereal and skim milk, and cut the late night snack all together. Combine that with AM Cardio, and it will start falling off again.

"I ain't nothin but a winner"
-Paul "Bear" Bryant

[Tury]

yeah I find it very hard to work out on a low carb diet(less than 100g/day) for more than two weeks in a row without cheating. I just end up getting too tired. I know take in some carbs right before, during and after my workout and I am still getting leaner and I don't feel anywhere near as tired. Also I am doing about 45-60min of cardio a day. I never used to do cardio and that combined with the diet is making me loose my fat. let me tell you cardio does work!!!