help changing my body composition

[LZD]

I'm 6'2", 87-88kgs. I don't want to do a drastic weight cut and compete any lower than 80kgs. I want to compete at either 80 or 82. However this is months away. In the meantime I want to continue gaining strength, for which is may be necessary to gain weight.

I've read the FAQs, I know it is extremely hard if not impossible to lose just fat. However I get the impression that if you're only making a small weight cut, there'll be less muscle breakdown as a percentage than there would be for more drastic cuts. In any case I want to maximise the percentage of weight I lose as fat.

If possible I'd like to lose 2-3kgs as much of that being fat as possible.


Problems: Based on the FAQs, I can't work out how I can go about this, given my cardio sessions are basically my 90 minute skills classes. I read the FAQ thread with a long lists of ways of losing fat (HIIT, LSD, fasting, tapering off carbs etc) and their efficacy and 'risk'. I didn't see anything in there that analysed the type of cardio I do. Within the 90 minute class there are HIIT periods, moderate duration moderate-hard periods, aerobic, anaerobic, times spent holding the mits are also very active times. But you see my point.

Given that I do 2-3 of these classes per week, and 3 weight sessions as well, I eat like a beast. I have gained 14kg (30lbs) since March, I was 9% bodyfat before I gained this weight. Not sure right now, but I am not 'flabby'....yet. I'm very happy with the % of my weight gain that has been muscle, but obviously I've gained fat as well. I couldn't guess what percentage, but I'd hazard somewhere between 3-7kgs.



Given my caloric needs, and style of cardio, what options are there for me to try to drop a couple of kgs, as much of it being fat as possible, without losing strength?

What can I do to decrease the fat to muscle ratio of weight that I gain?

 

[LZD]

Sample of my diet from today.

200g tuna + rice + cheese + glass of milk

[something substantial here]

Boiled egg + milk (only had one egg left...)

chicken curry w/ zuchini + rice

chicken curry w/ zuchini + rice

200g tuna + salad + glass of milk


Fruit in between. 1 carrot. 1 apple. 1 banana.
1.5L of Milk total.

This is a fairly typical sample of my diet. Protein levels are roughly estimated to be constant. Sometimes my carb intake fluctuates. If there's rice or pasta left over I can eat 3-4 meals with them in it. I also ususally get more vegetables.

The other day, all up, I had

425g Tuna
200-250g (approx) steak
3 potatoes
fair amount of bread
2 eggs
1.5L of milk
ham
3 meals with salad, including a whole avacado

Which component needs to be cut down on? Do I need to eat less or exercise more?

 

[immovablestone]

Broad stroke? Less grain, more protein and fat.

 

[Nick Kilian]

Just need some motivation

 

[LZD]

Broad stroke? Less grain, more protein and fat.

So even with the amount/type of cardio I am doing, lowering my carbs is ok if I increase my fat/protein consumption? Are you sure of this?

(not doubting you, I'd just like to understand why)

 

[immovablestone]

So even with the amount/type of cardio I am doing, lowering my carbs is ok if I increase my fat/protein consumption? Are you sure of this?

(not doubting you, I'd just like to understand why)

Yep, I'd work it in slowly rather than drastically, but your "cardio" will be fine.

 

[dropshot001]

For starters I would cut the curry.....a lot of unnecessary cals in there and replace those cals with protein and healthy fats

 

[LZD]

For starters I would cut the curry.....a lot of unnecessary cals in there and replace those cals with protein and healthy fats

Haha, it's just what my mum cooked me for dinner but I take your point. I'll eat simpler meals. Meat+veg etc. Thanks.

Should I add in some conditioning? Stuff like barbell complexes to the end of my weights workouts. Timed log toss, tire flip, walking lunges, and so on?

What sort of place could hill-sprints play in this? Is doing them same day as weights advisable or will it make striking the balance between losing fat and maintaining/increasing muscle more/too difficult?

 

[LZD]

Would I be advised to up my cardio before cutting the cals?

I haven't been doing my 3 sessions very regularly the last month or so.


diet today (so far)

7 weetbix w/ milk (97% wholegrain high iron zinc folate)

1 x cheese burger (massive real cheeseburger)

tuna+pasta+potatoes+cheese (two large helpings of this)

220g steak + salad

1L milk.

 

[immovablestone]

7 weetbix w/ milk (97% wholegrain high iron zinc folate)

 

[LZD]

well fuck dude, a dude's gotta eat soommmmmmmmme grain/carbs??????

 

[immovablestone]

well fuck dude, a dude's gotta eat soommmmmmmmme grain/carbs??????

A meal w/out copious animal protein, isn't a meal at all.

 

[LZD]

A meal w/out copious animal protein, isn't a meal at all.

Oh, right, well yes, nothing else was around I am afraid. had most of my milk along with it because of this

 

[Goat Meal]

In February I changed my diet up pretty drastically. I removed all grains and ate animal protein/fat with every meal. I stayed full longer, more alert, and performed better.

Breakfast: 3 eggs with cheese, banana.

Lunch: 8oz steak/chicken covered in cheese, mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, etc.)

Dinner: 8oz steak/chicken covered in cheese, apple/banana/pineapple.

If I was hungry between meals I'd eat some almonds.

I didn't even work out because I got lazy and quit going to BJJ as much. I still lost 20 pounds in about 3 months. I was the leanest I have ever been.

 

[LZD]

In February I changed my diet up pretty drastically. I removed all grains and ate animal protein/fat with every meal. I stayed full longer, more alert, and performed better.
[...]
I didn't even work out because I got lazy and quit going to BJJ as much. I still lost 20 pounds in about 3 months. I was the leanest I have ever been.

Ok. But given I want to keep training a lot, and only lose a little fat/keep gaining muscle if possible, I guess I should still keep eating some grain, but just limit it a bit, and, as did you, increase the number of meals with animal protein/fat?

This is going to be hell tricky to balance. That's what I want guidance with really, is balancing it.

 

[Goat Meal]

I don't understand the connection between frequency in training and grains.

 

[LZD]

I don't understand the connection between frequency in training and grains.

Sorry. I am assuming with training a lot of heavy cardio, and lifting heavy, I will still need a lot of carbs?

I'm uneducated about carbs. Not sure if potatoes/veg etc, will give me the same carbs as pasta/rice? Assuming not...?

 

[shouldercharge]

you need fuck all carbs/grains.
i'm preparing for a fight at the moment intense training combined with the only carbs i'm eating being from vegetables,bananas and berries has seen me lose 4kg in the last 10days .i havent seemed to have lost much strength and my training has been going good,i havent felt tired until yesterday but thats probably the 4 1/2 hours of training i did after 5 hours working.

try and stick to around 100grams of carbs a day.my diet=
5.40am steak and veges
11.30 tuna or salmon and coleslaw
1.30 yoghurt,berries,scoop of whey protein
3.30 protein shake
5.30 chicken and veges
8 protein shake.

when i'm feeling hungry i'll have either a banana,some cheese,or some salami at the same time as my protein shakes the last couple of days ive had a slice of bread each day (whole grain) but they have been VERY intense training days and i'm worried i'm losing weight too quickly-fighting at 85kg.

get your animal protein and fat in it will help you feel full,give you plenty of energy and support lean mucle mass,fill up on vegetables and non sugary fruits.

honestly protein protein protein!!! my coach said i'm feeling very strong last night and thats after following the above diet,and training atleast twice a day for the past 10 days and losing 4kg.

 

[LZD]

you need fuck all carbs/grains.
i'm preparing for a fight at the moment intense training combined with the only carbs i'm eating being from vegetables,bananas and berries has seen me lose 4kg in the last 10days .i havent seemed to have lost much strength and my training has been going good,i havent felt tired until yesterday but thats probably the 4 1/2 hours of training i did after 5 hours working.

try and stick to around 100grams of carbs a day.my diet=
5.40am steak and veges
11.30 tuna or salmon and coleslaw
1.30 yoghurt,berries,scoop of whey protein
3.30 protein shake
5.30 chicken and veges
8 protein shake.

when i'm feeling hungry i'll have either a banana,some cheese,or some salami at the same time as my protein shakes the last couple of days ive had a slice of bread each day (whole grain) but they have been VERY intense training days and i'm worried i'm losing weight too quickly-fighting at 85kg.

get your animal protein and fat in it will help you feel full,give you plenty of energy and support lean mucle mass,fill up on vegetables and non sugary fruits.

honestly protein protein protein!!! my coach said i'm feeling very strong last night and thats after following the above diet,and training atleast twice a day for the past 10 days and losing 4kg.

Are you losing muscle mass though? Just wondering.

What do you eat before/after your skills/cardio workouts?

What do you recommend for me to eat before/after my cardio workouts to prevent muscle loss.

If I am preventing muscle loss, am I also preventing fat loss?


Thanks for your reply.

 

[shouldercharge]

to be onest i probably have lost a little muscl with losing the weight so quick,but i am doing a shit load of training,so the above diet should be fine for you to gradually lose fat if your only training one skills session a day as well as a light cardio session.

a high protein diet will help you to lose fat while holding on to muscle.