Need help with diet/goal setting

[automatondan]

Hey Everybody!
So, as many of you know, I have been doing a lot of reading throughout the threads especially in the diet section.... I am trying to put a plan into motion, but I guess I am feeling unsure where to go...

I am currently 5'11 1/2" and 182lbs and have love-handles (always been my problem spot) and a little bit of a gut... Ive been following a lifting schedule 3-5 days a week based on the Arnold advanced 1 program for three months now... But I haven't gone full-gung-ho like I have done in the past and am capable of... (Ive been out of this lifestyle for far too long) In the past, I have always done the old-school mentality with dieting and had a daily protein goal of 200-300grams, tried to keep my carbs under 100grams, and didn't really keep track of my fat as fat is essential physiologically. I had good results in the past but could never get to 200lbs. I maxed out at 192lbs soaking wet, but had a full six-pack. At my skinniest about 8 years ago with no lifting and not eating very much I weighed 155lbs.... So, I guess why I am unsure how to proceed with diet is that, I like my physical size now and want to be bigger, but I want to loose the fat I have too.... Should I deplete calories and carbs for a while to burn this fat and then build back up lean, or should I just jump full-bore into the recomp diet? My TDEE is 2,600 (I think...)

It is not my hope that this starts another diet argument, but I'd love some advice and encouragement from you guys.... I dont know what will be my best avenue moving forward.
D.

 

[automatondan]

What I really want the brothers opinions on is, whether I should do like I did before and keep the carbs low (below 100grams) and protein high (200+ grams) for a while until I lean out and then increase calories until I plateau again...?
OR,
Should I follow Spongy's guide to recomp sticky (with carb-cycling) and dont worry about this excess body-fat as the diet and training should take care of it.... I have no experience with a recomp style diet like that....

I am ready to go balls-out with a plan.... I just want to make sure I am moving forward with the best plan for me... Thanks guys!

 

[automatondan]

Anyone.......?

 

[Ace Corona]

I would like to give you advice, but I have the opposite problem: I'm too fat and need to cut down before bulking. When I was in my 20's I weighed 160 pounds at five feet eleven and a half inches tall, then in my late 20's I hit 240 pounds, but cut down to 175 while in prison. In my early 30's I gained it all back and shot up to my all time high of 294 pounds, and over ten years I've cut down and yo-yo'd until I hit 204 pounds, my current all time low record since being over 240. I was 204 in early November, but shot up to 222 recently, which I currently weigh.

Starting today I'm trying to get serious about my diet, I've eaten a lot less today than I did yesterday, but I need to start exercising more and doing cardio. I've currently been doing 100 pushups every morning before breakfast (I'm getting addicted to it) but tomorrow I'm getting a 7 day pass to the YMCA a mile from where I'm staying, and I plan on lifting and doing cardio every day.

I have a membership at 24 hour fitness that doesn't expire until November 2016, but it's so far from where I live that it takes two buses to get over there, and it's just too much of a bitch and too much commuting time, I know I'm making excuses, but over the next week I want to get more serious about working out. Maybe we can motivate each other in this thread, OP

 

[automatondan]

Hey man, youve had quite the fluctuation like I have over the years.... I remember reading in a Men's Fitness years back that if you can do something aerobic first thing in the morning it has an effect on your metabolism for the entire day... like it 'sets' your metabolism at a faster pace... I have never looked up the physiology of that to verify, but I have done it over the years and have gotten good results... Those 100 pushups everyday are probably helping, so keep it up. I used to do that as well as shadowbox and pull-ups daily... Ive got a buddy who is trying to loose some 'daddy' weight before summer and all he has been doing is some body-weight stuff and walking several miles a day and he's lost like 15-20lbs already.... never would have thought that would work, but it is....

I am trying to get my diet worked out properly currently... Spongy has a great sticky in the diet section on a diet called the 'recomp' diet. It is supposed to give you the ability to gain muscle while loosing fat... So I am trying to draw up a plan for myself... In the sticky it talks about 'carb-cycling' and I have never tried that...
Have you ever heard of Intermittent Fasting? Hugh Jackman does it when he's trying to get ready for the Wolverine movies... It is supposed to shock your metabolism by eating all your meals in like a 6hr or 8hr window and then eating nothing the rest of the time. When I lost all that weight before, I had a rule that I didnt eat after 10pm... then it was 9pm.... then it was 8pm.... then it was no carbs after 4pm and no eating anything (even meat) after 8pm.... the fat kinda melted off me.... Im considering doing a similar thing currently, but I want to keep my calories up above 3000 per day and keep more carbs in there... Because I am trying to GET HUGE! haha (if possible...)

Good luck brotha, and ya man, feel free to pop in here and keep me updated... I will do the same.
D.

 

[automatondan]

I would like to give you advice, but I have the opposite problem: I'm too fat and need to cut down before bulking. When I was in my 20's I weighed 160 pounds at five feet eleven and a half inches tall, then in my late 20's I hit 240 pounds, but cut down to 175 while in prison. In my early 30's I gained it all back and shot up to my all time high of 294 pounds, and over ten years I've cut down and yo-yo'd until I hit 204 pounds, my current all time low record since being over 240. I was 204 in early November, but shot up to 222 recently, which I currently weigh.

Starting today I'm trying to get serious about my diet, I've eaten a lot less today than I did yesterday, but I need to start exercising more and doing cardio. I've currently been doing 100 pushups every morning before breakfast (I'm getting addicted to it) but tomorrow I'm getting a 7 day pass to the YMCA a mile from where I'm staying, and I plan on lifting and doing cardio every day.

I have a membership at 24 hour fitness that doesn't expire until November 2016, but it's so far from where I live that it takes two buses to get over there, and it's just too much of a bitch and too much commuting time, I know I'm making excuses, but over the next week I want to get more serious about working out. Maybe we can motivate each other in this thread, OP

Just realized I didnt quote your post, so I didnt know if you would see I commented back....

Oh and here's the link to a Hugh Jackman article where he talks about IF:
http://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/hugh-jackman-no-more-mr-nice-guy