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March weight gain after a return to maintenance calories and then to bulk calories was a gain of four pounds. April saw a weight gain of 2 pounds. For the last week, I've been on average 2700 calories per day. This puts me in excess calories by 200 per day (in my estimation). That's the equivalent of two pounds of fat in a one month period.
Hopefully, with the lifting, that will be turned mostly to muscle. Perhaps I'll see a slight loss in weight. I'll keep measuring my body fat % by caliper.
My goal for May will be to hold my body fat at 14% or have it decrease while increasing strength. I'm going to try the recomposition approach rather than the bulk and cut approach. I'm find with the way I look now. There's still some depression in the cartilage area of the abdomen. I'm hoping to lean out by summer. I will do a cut in June if I don't see the changes I'm looking for in the next month.
My end goal was to see a gain to no more than 180 pounds by the end of May. That should be no issue.
Calories per day are as follows:
2900 - 2900 - 2300 - 2900 - 2900 - 2300 - 2600
The 2900 days are the lifting days. 2300 days are day one of rest and 2600 is the second day of rest adding in a few more carbs. This is all in conjunction with Carb Back Loading. Why am I increasing calories on lifting days since the body gains muscle during rest and not on single days? The way I figure it the body uses more calories on those days. The physical exertion takes calories for fuel above and beyond calories needed to rebuild tissue.
Thought for the day: “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.” ― Winston Churchill
Have a great day everyone.
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175.2 lb
Lost so far: 3.6 lb.
Still to go: 7.2 lb.
Diet followed reasonably well.
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Diet Calendar Entry for 30 April 2014:
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2295 kcal
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Fat: 165.54g | Prot: 160.28g | Carb: 43.90g.
Breakfast: Cheddar Cheese, Kroger Heavy Whipping Cream, Butter, Espresso Coffee, Kraft Sundried Tomato and Oregano Salad Dressing, Lettuce Salad with Assorted Vegetables, Egg. Lunch: Olive Oil, Fresh'n Easy Garden Salad, Flaxseed Seeds, Pork Chops (Top Loin, Boneless). Dinner: Cheddar Cheese, Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Powder, Butter, Healthy Life 100% Whole Grain Bread, Egg, Chicken Breast. Snacks/Other: Chicken Breast, NuMedica MCT Oil USP, Espresso Coffee, Unsalted Butter Stick. more...
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losing 5.6 lb a week
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 Comments
Looks very solid. Now I finally understand why you must gain fat to gain muscle. You have to have something to build muscle FROM. Like straw into bricks. Duh. Makes perfect sense now! LOL. Thanks for the insight.
30 Apr 14 by member: mrsmole
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I love this breakdown, thanks for sharing your process and I look forward to hearing updates.
30 Apr 14 by member: ChicaLean
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This is in some way is misinformation. I think you are doing great and I agree with your plan in many ways.... You gotta eat big to get big, but the whole idea of "fat" turning into muscle is completely incorrect. Fat is excess energy stored in "fat cells" to later feed your body in time of need. Muscle is actual muscle tissue. These are two completely different things. Mrsmole you do not have to " gain fat to gain muscle"... The reason most people gain fat while bulking is because they " dirty bulk" with too many carbs than necessary and everything that isn't needed for energy and rebuilding is turned to fat. When bulking if you put on 10 lbs of muscle and 2 pounds of fat... at the end of your bulk you will have 2 pounds of fat to cut. That's just how it works. Great work Northernmusician Best of luck in you future gains :)
30 Apr 14 by member: Nick224
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Well, Nick, I don't expect fat to 'turn into' muscle. I expect fat to be used while at the same time building muscle. Did I say fat would turn into muscle? Recomp is not fat into muscle (the equivalent of lead into gold) it's the loss of one during the gain of the other. Personally, from what I've seen, most of the dirty bulkers just want to gorge and it's their excuse. This is my first time eating to gain muscle. The last two months were to find my benchmarks. Maybe when you're at the top end of your genetic potential theres' some advantage to big bulking, but I'd personally keep things in check while building. Yes MM you do need enough energy for the body to build, be it from fat in your body or outside sources. A 200 cal excess is hardly an extravagance when it's what I believe will be needed to sustain and grow muscle tissue. :)
30 Apr 14 by member: northernmusician
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Northernmusician, I don't know if you have answers for me. But I recently joined a gym. I am doing strength training (for weight loss and increased metabolism) I also intermittent fast, namely I eat every other day. But on my fasting days I DO consume up to 500 calories of high fat. My exercise days fall on some of my fasted days... I have fat to burn. Will my body cannibalize muscle on fasted days opposed to utilizing the fat available? Or should I think about getting protein on my fast days. At this point the grams are just under 20 for fasted days.
30 Apr 14 by member: Deborahg382
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30 Apr 14 by member: LadyBea40
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Good luck with the calipers!
01 May 14 by member: Deb_N
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Calipers are just like weight and the tape measure. Nothing's perfect. The bottom line is are you happy with what you're doing and happy with the way you look. Thanks everyone. Thanks Debs x2.
01 May 14 by member: northernmusician
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I've always been notorious for not having accurate readings with calipers as my body puts fat on in strange places and quantities. I got a much more accurate reading by hydrostatic testing.
01 May 14 by member: Clooney8493
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I agree. Hydrostatic is a long way from me. I'm talking 500 miles? Calipers do wander. That's because fat moves from cell to cell. It's always adjusting location. This is why 7 location beats 3 location and 3 beats 1. Still. Over time it gives a decent idea. I use everything when it comes down to. Calipers, scale, tape measure... now let's see... which one will I agree with today. ;)
01 May 14 by member: northernmusician
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I wasn't trying to sound rude and I apologize if it came off that way. It's really nice to see things are working out for you. I simply chose to post what I posted because it appeared Mrsmole might have misread what you was meaning by "Hopefully, with the lifting, that will be turned mostly to muscle." I would never troll on someones post nor do I wish to make any enemies on here. Just felt I would give some friendly advice. Best of luck in all your future gains. I look forward to being able to watch your progress. :)
02 May 14 by member: Nick224
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You are doing awesome !!!!
BTW I printed out your suggestion, and I am taking it with me today to the gym :)
02 May 14 by member: SherrieC
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@Nick224 - Thanks for the initial information, I'm sure it was helpful for a lot of folks. Good post. And I commend you for coming back and posting for clarification. I think we could all agree that it’s so hard to read something on the internet without being able to hear the “tone” that it was presented in. NM is a good guy and you appear to be as well. I don’t think anyone is upset here.
02 May 14 by member: bigbassbrent
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:) Nice to have this site to surround ourselves with like minded people, all with similar goals.
03 May 14 by member: Nick224
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